Might and Magic Clash of heroes may be the best app you're not playing

Might and Magic: Clash of heroes

A little over three years ago Ubisoft Entertainment SA and Toronto-based Capybara Games quietly unleashed a puzzle role-playing game for the Nintendo DS that ended up being a surprise hit (and, in this reviewer’s opinion, one of the best games Nintendo’s dual-screened handheld ever received).

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes dazzled with a wildly original match-three combat system much more engaging than it had any right to be. It was a bit like Bejeweled hopped up on high-fantasy steroids that somehow gave the simple mechanic of lining up three things in a row delicious depth.

Its critical acclaim and unexpected commercial success led to ports for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows. And now it’s finally made its way to iOS (and soon Android).

For reasons unknown, Ubisoft handed off development duties for the mobile version to U.K.-based Tag Games (which seems strange, given that Capy has plenty of experience developing for mobile platforms, including the 2011 hit Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP). Perhaps as a result, there are some rough edges not seen in previous editions. But these problems don’t seriously affect the core play, which is still just as compelling as it ever was.

Players take control of a quintet of fantasy heroes, each with their own uniquely gifted armies. These excitable characters fit snuggly into Might and Magic’s grander lore (or so we’re told), though you needn’t have any familiarity with the franchise’s world, story, or personalities. All you need know is that these protagonists are united in their ambition to take down an evil demon lord intent on delivering the world unto chaos. It’s fantasy 101.

Besides, the real fun isn’t doesn’t come from watching the fluffy little text chats that provide context for the battles, but instead the combat itself.

Here’s how it works.

The screen is filled with two six-by-eight grids of units – swordsmen, archers, pikemen, knights, dragons, etc. – distinguished by colour. The bottom grid is yours, the top your enemy’s. Your goal is to break through enemy lines and hit the opposing commander while protecting your own hero.

You get three moves each turn to rearrange your units with an aim to line up three same-hued fighters vertically to form a combined unit ready to launch an attack. Alternatively, you can match three horizontally to create defensive walls. The number of moves at your disposal each turn will increase if you chain combinations. Reinforcements arrive regularly as you use up your units.

Now, here’s where things get (pleasantly) complicated.

Each combined attack unit requires a set number of turns before it’s ready to attack, and different unit types form different kinds of attacks. For example, some may be able to leap over enemy walls or cause area damage.

What’s more, same-coloured units set to attack on the same turn will link, increasing their damage. Plus, same-coloured combined units stacked on top of each other will fuse, again, increasing damage. You can stack walls, too, fusing them to increase their robustness.

What all of this means is that you need to think several turns ahead. However, since attacks take time, both you and your enemy have the opportunity to react to each other’s tactics, setting up walls when possible and trying to form offensive strikes in areas of the grid that your opponent seems to be neglecting.

This level of strategic depth would be more than enough for most puzzle RPGs. But there’s more

Units types ascend in level and power as they gain experience. Equippable items found around the world confer potentially game changing advantages, such as increasing your commander’s health or bringing him back from the brink of death. And then there are the puzzle levels and boss battles, both of which demand serious consideration and forethought.

Add on top of all this the fact that you’re basically getting five games in one – each of your five heroes has his or her own 10-plus hour campaign – and you’ve got all the mobile game you need for the next month or two.

(There’s also a competitive multiplayer mode, both locally and online, though I’ve not yet had opportunity to give it a go.)

So why, you might be asking, am I awarding this stellar little game less than a perfect score?

Because of those rough edges I mentioned earlier.

They mostly have to do with interface. The drag and drop play style once accomplished via a DS stylus, a console gamepad, or a mouse, seems like it ought to be right at home on a touch screen phone or tablet. However, Tag Games’ port has resulted in a considerable lack of precision.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve accidentally slid a unit over too far or not far enough, wasting a valuable move. And playing in a jostling car, bus, train, or plane (I’ve been in all four over the last week) can be extremely frustrating, since it makes holding a tap to select a unit extremely difficult. The slightest finger movement results in lost contact.

Plus, world map controls are unintuitive. No cues or instructions are provided, which means you don’t know where to tap to interact with objects and characters (here’s a hint in case you get stuck: it’s often the base of your own character – which makes no sense).

And there will be times when you seem to reached a dead end, not realizing that you need to swipe off the screen to move to a new area. Careful though; an inexact interaction could send you walking backwards instead – a serious issue if you’re in an area where enemies pop up at random.

It seems odd that such obvious interface gaffes would appear in a game released by a major publisher with a broad pool of quality testers. Perhaps the problems will be corrected in an update. As is, I feel forced to hand out a few of demerits.

But even with these annoying issues I find myself compelled to return, thanks to that fiercely addictive combat. There’s no question that Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, bugs and all, remains one of the best puzzle/tactical fantasy RPGs around.